Food processing system presenting a guiding flow arrangement and process for use thereof

Abstract

A food processing system presents a recipient configured for receiving food ingredients and a lid presenting upwards and downwards sides configured to engage with the perimeter of the recipient thereby at least partially closing the recipient, and a driving arrangement confined within a casing and adapted to drive a tool support arranged inside of the recipient, whereby the lid presents a single lid opening advantageously presenting a generally circular form and disposed, e.g., centrally relative to the lid, whereby the upwards side of the lid presents a first surface extending on a generally outer region of the lid and further presents a second surface extending around the opening and developing at a lower level in respect of the first surface, and whereby the lid further presents a flow guiding unit arranged next to the lid opening and adapted to provide a streamlined flow of a fluid poured into the second surface into the recipient when the lid is placed thereupon.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Food processing system for processing food ingredients comprising a recipient to receive food ingredients and a lid presenting an upwards side and a downwards side to engage with a perimeter edge of said recipient, a food processing tool, a tool support that supports the food processing tool inside of said recipient, and a driving arrangement confined within a casing to drive the tool support,
 wherein said lid presents a lid opening presenting a generally circular form and centered relative to said lid, 
 wherein the upwards side of said lid presents a first surface extending on a generally outer region of said lid and further presents a second surface extending around at least part of said lid opening and developing at a lower level in respect of said first surface, 
 wherein said lid presents a flow-guiding unit arranged next to said lid opening, comprising a wall part and at least one flow part, and an amount of fluid poured upon said second surface can be comprised inwards along most of a perimeter of said lid opening and can flow under an action of a gravity force through said lid opening into said recipient when said lid is arranged on said recipient, 
 wherein said system further comprises a cup-shaped closing element comprising, a first part presenting a tubular, frusta-conic form, extending upwards from a second part, said second part provided as an annular element projecting outwards and arranged between said first par and a third part, and said third part presenting a tubular, frusto-conic form, extending downwards from said second part, wherein said closing element can be placed on said lid opening to at least partially close said lid opening, 
 wherein said second part of said closing element comprises a base part and a closing wall part extending upwards and downwards of a perimeter edge of said base part and presenting a height in relation to said base part that generally corresponds at least to a level difference between said second surface and a lower level of said first surface along a respective perimeter, so that said closing element is supported at a closing wall part by said second surface and at a base part by said wall part of a flow guiding unit along part of the perimeter of said second surface but not in a region of said flow part where there remains a distance between said closing wall part and said second surface, so that fluid poured upon said second surface can further flow through said lid opening into said recipient, even when said closing element is placed in said lid opening. 
 
     
     
       2. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow-guiding unit comprises a wall part extending upwards from an edge of said lid opening and extending along part of the perimeter of said lid opening, and at least one flow part that is provided as a flow passage section in said wall part and said fluid can flow streamlined through said lid opening. 
     
     
       3. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said wall part presents a height along a respective perimeter extension in relation to said second surface, wherein said height follows a level difference between said second surface and said first surface along the respective perimeter extension. 
     
     
       4. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow part is a spout shaped arrangement comprising a constrain of flow passage section and a downwards oriented flow surface in relation to said second surface, and in that said flow part presents a narrowing of flow passage section directed towards said lid opening. 
     
     
       5. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow part presents a curved or straight flow surface between said second surface and said lid opening to generate a streamlined flow of said liquid into said recipient. 
     
     
       6. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second surface presents at least one inclination relative to a horizontal plane and towards a flow part, wherein said flow part is arranged at a lowest part of said second surface. 
     
     
       7. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first part defines an open cup-like collection volume and said third part defines a closed form of different volume divided from said first part by said second part, or both of said first and third parts define a single cup-like collection volume, and
 in that at least one of first or third parts of said closing element present a plurality of tongues projecting outwards from its outside side surface and that can engage with a retaining unit provided in corresponding radial positions, on a downwards oriented side of said lid opening, so that said closing element can be optionally retained in a given position with said lid. 
 
     
     
       8. Food processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second surface presents at least one cavity element, such as a cavity of channel-like, or a plurality of cavity elements in fluid communication with each other and with a respective flow part, and
 in that said second surface presents at least one marking, disposed along said wall part and towards said flow part, wherein said marking indicates at least one of a general flow direction and fluid quantities. 
 
     
     
       9. Process for using a food processing system presenting a recipient to receive food ingredients and a lid presenting an upwards side and a downwards side to engage with the perimeter of said recipient thereby at least partially closing said recipient, and a driving arrangement confined within a casing to drive a tool support arranged inside of said recipient, wherein said lid presents a single lid opening presenting a generally circular form and centered relative to said lid, wherein the upwards side of said lid presents a first surface extending on a generally outer region of said lid and further presents a second surface extending around at least part of said opening and developing at a lower level in respect of said first surface, in particular a food processing system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said process comprises: 
 providing food ingredients to said recipient and placing said lid upon said recipient, in a removable fixed engagement with the perimeter edge of said recipient, 
 optionally actuating said driving arrangement, 
 pouring a fluid upon said second surface, wherein said fluid is conducted under the action of the force gravity into said recipient via a flow guiding unit provided next to said lid opening of said lid. 
 
     
     
       10. Process according to  claim 9 , wherein said fluid is poured upon at least one previously defined region of said second surface of said lid. 
     
     
       11. Process according to  claim 9 , wherein said flow is conducted along said second surface, comprised by a wall part along at least part of the perimeter of said lid opening, and through at least one flow part provided next to said lid opening, into said recipient. 
     
     
       12. Process according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 placing a closing element on the lid opening, and 
 eventually rotating said closing element so as to retain said closing element in said lid opening, thereby optionally further allowing said fluid to flow there through into said recipient. 
 
     
     
       13. Food processing system for processing food ingredients comprising a recipient to receive food ingredients and a lid presenting an upwards side and a downwards side to engage with a perimeter edge of said recipient, a food processing tool, a tool support that supports the food processing tool inside of said recipient, and a driving arrangement confined within a casing to drive the tool support,
 wherein said lid presents a lid opening presenting a generally circular form and centered relative to said lid, 
 wherein the upwards side of said lid presents a first surface extending on a generally outer region of said lid and further presents a second surface extending around at least part of said lid opening and developing at a lower level in respect of said first surface, 
 wherein said lid presents a flow-guiding unit arranged next to said lid opening, comprising a wall part and at least one flow part, and an amount of fluid poured upon said second surface can be comprised inwards along most of a perimeter of said lid opening and can flow under an action of a gravity force through said lid opening into said recipient when said lid is arranged on said recipient, 
 wherein said system further comprises a cup-shaped closing element comprising a first part presenting a tubular, frusto-conic form, extending upwards from a second part, said second part provided as an annular element projecting outwards and arranged between said first part and a third part, and said third part presenting a tubular, frusto-conic form, extending downwards from said second part, wherein said closing element can be placed on said lid opening thereby at least partially closing said lid opening, 
 wherein said second part of said closing element comprises a base part and wherein said closing element comprises a closing wall part that presents a plurality of indents in both upwards and downwards extensions thereof relative to said base part, wherein said indents generally correspond to height variations of a respective top edge and are evenly distributed along a radial direction, thereby providing a flow communication between outside and inside parts of said second surface in respect of a diameter of said closing wall part, and from said inside part of said second surface through said lid opening into said recipient, when said lid is placed thereupon and regardless of which of said first and third parts of said closing element is placed in said lid opening. 
 
     
     
       14. Food processing system for processing food ingredients comprising a recipient to receive food ingredients and a lid presenting an upwards side and a downwards side to engage with a perimeter edge of said recipient, a food processing tool, a tool support that supports the food processing tool inside of said recipient, and a driving arrangement confined within a casing to drive the tool support,
 wherein said lid presents a lid opening presenting a generally circular form and centered relative to said lid, 
 wherein the upwards side of said lid presents a first surface extending on a generally outer region of said lid and further presents a second surface extending around at least part of said lid opening and developing at a lower level in respect of said first surface, 
 wherein said lid presents a flow-guiding unit arranged next to said lid opening, comprising a wall part and at least one flow part, and an amount of fluid poured upon said second surface can be comprised inwards along most of a perimeter of said lid opening and can flow under an action of a gravity force through said lid opening into said recipient when said lid is arranged on said recipient, 
 wherein said second surface presents at least one cavity element defined by a cavity of channel or a plurality of cavity elements in fluid communication with each other and with a respective flow part, and 
 said second surface presents at least one marking, disposed along said wall part and towards said flow part, wherein said marking indicates at least one of a general flow direction and fluid quantities.